Hosts serving adults and children
Keep drinks intended for children and non-drinkers separate from alcoholic spirits and other alcohol-containing bases. UK Chief Medical Officer guidance advises an alcohol-free childhood.
Who is the lunch for?
Plan a clearly non-alcoholic serve before deciding whether to offer an alcoholic addition to adults.
Adults moderating alcohol
A mixer can provide the flavour and format of a mixed drink without adding a spirit. For an alcoholic serve, the base drink and the amount poured still determine how much alcohol is added.
Guests comparing tonic recipes
Someone choosing by sugar, calories or flavour needs to check those details separately from alcohol content. A light tonic may still contain sugar, while a slimline tonic may use sweetener.
What should you check?
Decide which drinks will be served without alcohol, then compare the mixer’s flavour, nutrition and pack format.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol content | Check the current label when a strict ABV limit matters. Check any spirit or alcohol substitute separately; light and slimline wording does not describe the alcohol in a mixed drink. | I want a clearly non-alcoholic drink available to children, drivers and guests who are not drinking. |
| Sugar and calories | Compare nutrition per 100 ml and note whether the recipe contains sugar or sweetener. Tesco lists Schweppes Slimline 1 L at 0 g sugars and 2 kcal per 100 ml; Fentimans lists Naturally Light at 3.4 g sugars and 18 kcal per 100 ml. | If I choose a lighter tonic, I still want to know what is in the mixer and what, if anything, will be added to it. |
| Flavour | Consider tonic’s quinine and any listed botanical or citrus flavourings. Offer a non-tonic soft drink or sparkling water for anyone who does not want tonic’s bitter taste. | Some guests may want a tonic over ice; others would rather have a plainer drink. |
| Ingredients | Read the purchased pack for ingredients, sweeteners and relevant allergen information. Tesco cautions that food ingredients and nutrition may change after an online listing is published. | I need to check the drink I will actually serve when a guest has an allergy, intolerance or ingredient restriction. |
| Serving format | Compare the number and size of cans or bottles with the planned serves. Keep any alcohol-containing base in a separate container from drinks intended to remain non-alcoholic. | Individual portions could make it easier to offer a mixer on its own while leaving adult additions optional. |
Common buying mistakes
-
Reading “light” as “low alcohol”
A lower-calorie tonic changes the mixer, not the ABV or amount of a spirit added to it.
Set the alcohol plan first: serve the mixer alone for a non-alcoholic option, and check any alcoholic base separately.
-
Making the children’s option hard to distinguish
Similar-looking glasses or garnishes do not show whether a drink contains alcohol. UK Chief Medical Officer guidance advises an alcohol-free childhood.
Put clearly identified non-alcoholic drinks on the table and keep alcoholic additions separate.
-
Choosing tonic by its calorie claim alone
Tonic recipes differ. Tesco lists Schweppes Slimline as containing sweetener and no sugar, while Fentimans Naturally Light lists 3.4 g sugars per 100 ml.
Check the ingredients and offer another soft-drink option for guests who do not want tonic’s bitterness.
-
Relying only on an online ingredient list
Ingredients, nutrition and allergen information can change when a product is reformulated, as Tesco notes in its product information advice.
Read the label on the pack you buy, particularly when a guest needs to avoid an ingredient or sweetener.
Mixer brands and retailer ranges
These references help distinguish tonic recipes and places to check product labels; they do not establish the alcohol content of every product in a range.
Fever-Tree
Its Refreshingly Light tonic variants offer an alternative to its regular tonic recipes.
- Fever-Tree says Refreshingly Light Premium Indian Tonic Water has 50% fewer calories than its regular Premium Indian Tonic Water.
- “Refreshingly Light” is a calorie-related description, not an alcohol-free or 0.0% declaration.
Schweppes
Its Slimline tonic is a route for guests seeking a tonic without sugar.
- Tesco lists the 1 L Slimline tonic at 0 g sugars and 2 kcal per 100 ml.
- The Tesco listing describes a drink with sweetener and advises checking the purchased pack because product information can change.
Fentimans
Its tonic range includes regular and Naturally Light recipes with botanical ingredients.
- Fentimans lists Naturally Light at 18 kcal and 3.4 g sugars per 100 ml; the brand says it has 30% fewer calories than its Premium Indian Tonic Water.
- Naturally Light still contains sugar. Fentimans lists its regular Premium Indian Tonic Water at 4.4 g sugars per 100 ml.
Britvic
Britvic describes mixers, juices and cordials within its drinks portfolio.
- Its portfolio also includes The London Essence Company, which Britvic describes through its botanical-drink heritage.
- Compare the label of a specific drink rather than applying a portfolio description to its ingredients, nutrition or ABV.
Tesco
Tesco’s product listings can help compare stated tonic ingredients and nutrition before shopping.
- Its Schweppes Slimline listings distinguish the nutrition information for 1 L and 150 ml formats.
- Tesco advises reading the purchased label rather than relying solely on its website for ingredients, nutrition and allergens.
Sainsbury's
Its tonic category lists own-label Indian and diet Indian tonic alongside branded light and slimline options.
- The category offers a starting point for comparing standard and diet tonic types.
- A diet or light category label does not establish a particular drink’s ABV; check the product pack when an alcohol limit matters.
Joybuy mixer options
These tonic waters and ginger ale come in individual cans for a school-holiday lunch. Choose the drink to serve on its own before deciding whether adults will add anything to theirs.
No image available
Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Premium Indian Tonic Water, 15 x 150 ml
The 15 x 150 ml cans provide individual tonic serves for lunch. Fever-Tree describes this Indian tonic as a lower-calorie version of its regular recipe; check the pack if a particular ABV limit matters, and check any added base separately.
No image available
Schweppes Slimline Tonic Water, 12 x 150 ml
The 12 x 150 ml cans suit separate lunchtime serves. The Joybuy product information lists aspartame among the ingredients; read the current pack for dietary requirements or a strict ABV limit, and check any drink added to the tonic separately.
No image available
Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Mediterranean Tonic Water, 8 x 150 ml
This Mediterranean tonic comes as 8 x 150 ml cans for individual serves. Check its current pack for ingredients, nutrition and any ABV requirement; “Refreshingly Light” does not describe the alcohol content of a drink mixed with it.
No image available
Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Ginger Ale, 8 x 150 ml
For guests who would rather have ginger ale than tonic, this pack contains 8 x 150 ml cans. Check the current label for ingredients and any strict ABV requirement, and keep alcohol-containing additions separate.
No image available
Fever-Tree Naturally Light Tonic Water, 8 x 150 ml
This tonic comes as 8 x 150 ml cans, making it an option for serving portions individually. Read its current pack to compare sugar and calories with other tonics or to check a strict ABV requirement; check any added drink separately.
Questions about mixers and alcohol
Does a light or slimline mixer make a drink low in alcohol?
No. Those descriptions concern the mixer’s recipe or nutrition, not the ABV and amount of any spirit added to the glass. Check the base drink and the planned serve if alcohol content matters.
What does “low alcohol” mean on a UK alcohol-substitute drink?
Department of Health and Social Care guidance says the voluntary “low alcohol” descriptor applies to an alcohol-substitute drink at 1.2% ABV or below, with its maximum ABV indicated on the label. The guidance does not apply that descriptor to ordinary soft drinks such as tonic water.
What should children be served at a school-holiday lunch?
Provide a clearly non-alcoholic drink and keep any alcoholic additions separate. UK Chief Medical Officer guidance advises an alcohol-free childhood; a light mixer does not make an added alcoholic spirit suitable for a child.
Should I check the pack if I have read the mixer’s online ingredients?
Yes, especially when a guest needs to avoid an allergen, sweetener or other ingredient. Tesco advises reading the product label because ingredients, nutrition and dietary information can change.